Automatic painting machine



Juiy 16, 1968 R. B. WAY ET AL AUTOMATIC PAINTING MACHINE 2 SheetsSheet 1 Filed Oct. 25, 1965 l-Lll INVENTOR. ,ad/7' 3 0 Cum, 0. 51-116) y 6, 1968 R. B. WAY ET AL AUTOMATIC PAINTING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 23, 1965 R mvm I m 90E W30 r ow. 5. 21 m! a w 3 M AUTOMATIC PAINTING MACHINE Robert B. Way, 1503 Chelsea Ave., and Carl D. Hersey, 14 Fernclilf Beach, both of Erie, Pa. 16505 Filed Oct. 23, 1965, Ser. No. 503,784 4 Claims. (Cl. 118-301) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The painting'machine disclosed herein has paint guns that reciprocate longitudinally across the machine to paint long work. The hoses that connect the paint and air to the paint guns are arranged in spiral coils and the spiral coils are supported on a rod that is parallel to the path of movement of'the guns. The rod passes through the coils of the hoses, thus, the paint gun can reciprocate freely from side to side on the machine.

This invention relates to coating machines, and, more particularly, to machines for painting relatively long articles of manufacture.

Machines made according to prior designs for painting elongated articles of manufacture carried the article to be painted on a carriage supported on a long track. The gun is supported in a fixed position relative thereto so that the article was painted as it moved past the gun. This required a machine almost three times as long as the part because the part being painted had to move completely past the paint gun and continue completely out of the painting chamber.

In the machine disclosed herein, an article to be painted can be supported on a suitable paint mask or stencil on top of the machine and the paint gun moved from side to side below the part so that the entire length of the part is painted while it is held. The paint gun rotates as it is painted so that the paint is distributed in a uniform layer on the article, regardless of irregularities such as raised and depressed areas in the surface of the article.

It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide an improved painting machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a painting machine, which is simple in construction, economical to manufacture, and simple and efficient to use.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists of the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, size, proportions, and minor details of construction without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a partial side view of a painting machine according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a spindle for supporting paint guns; and

FIG. 3 is a partial view of another embodiment of the invention.

Now with more specific reference to the drawings, the machine is made up generally of a frame A with a mask or stencil B supported above a paint chamber E and a track C supported below and generally parallel to the track and extending from one side of the machine to the other. A carriage D is supported on the track and moves from side to side thereof.

The embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 3 discloses a machine similar to that shown in FIG. 1 but taken from a slightly difierent angle than in FIG. 1. The

U e Paw- 3,392,703 Patented July 16, 1968 same letters are used in FIG. 3 to identify the major components as the letters used in FIG. 1 to identify the corresponding components.

Referring specifically to the drawing, particularly FIG. 1, the paint gun '10 is shown supported on a spindle assembly 11. The spindle assembly 11 has the flange 12 suitable to be mounted on the machine carriage D by means of studs 50. A tube 13 is connected to a suitable supply of paint by way of paint supply hoses 43 and 44. The tube 13 is connected through two tubes 16 to a source of paint. Motor 54 as shown in FIG. 1., rotates the tube 13 with gun 10 on it. A suitable bearing 22 carries the device for rotation and rotation union 29 connects the tubes. Seals are provided at 25 and at 14 to prevent leakage of paint and the seals 14 and 18 may be in the form of an O-ring which receives the end of the tubes.

The rotating device is carried on bearing 22 and rotating joint 21 is connected to an air motor 54. The adapter 26 and fitting 27 are provided to connect the rotating arm to the paint gun 10.

The arm assembly 31 is fixed to the tube 13 and rotates with it. The support arm 32 is fixed to the assembly 31 and it carries the paint gun 35. A counterweight 34 is connected on the arm 33; however, a second paint gun could be substituted for this counterweight and the second paint gun could be connected in parallel with the first paint gun or otherwise connected in a suitable manner. The entire device is carried to rotate on the hub 30 above the flange 112.

The carriage is reciprocated by means of motors 47 and 147. Motor 47 engages the rack 38. Motor 147 engages a similar rack on the second embodiment. The rack 38 is supported generally parallel to the tracks C.

Air is supplied to the motors 47 and 147 by the hoses 48 and 49 and 148 and 149 through a manifold 46 which is connected to the motor. The motor 47 operates through a suitable gear reducer. A manifold 41 is connected to hoses 40, 42, and 43. Hose 42 supplies air for motor 54 which drives through reduction gears 36 and 37 to rotate the spray gun. Hose 40 carries atomizing air for the paint gun and hose 43 carries air to turn the gun on and oil.

Rods 55 and and 56 extend from side to side of the machine. The hoses 40, 42, 43, 48, and 49 are coiled up on rod 55 while the hose 60 is coiled on rod 56. Thus, as the carriage reciprocates from side to side, these hoses slide on the rods. It will be noted that the coiled hoses are substantially longer than the distance from one end of the machine to the other so that the coiled hoses can act as a helical spring to stretch and retract and thereby allow the guns to move freely from side to side of the machine.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, part of a machine similar in material respects to the machine in FIG. 1 is shown. This machine is shown at a different view than in FIG. 1 to give a better understanding of the operation of the improvements which are common to both machines.

In FIG. 3, a track C supports a carriage as in FIG. 1. Rack 38 is engaged by a pinion driven by gears motors 146 and 147. Rod 155 extends from side to side of the machine and carries coiled hoses 148, 149, and 160.

A paint gun will be carried on track C as in FIG. 1, and other corresponding parts will be provided accordingly.

The foregoing specification sets forth the invention in its preferred practical form but the structure shown is capable of modification within a range of equivalents without departing from the invention which is to be understood is broadly novel as is commensurate with the appended claims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an ex- 3 clusively property or privilegeis claimed are defined as follows:

1. A coating machine comprising means on said machine to support an elongated article in fixed position, a coating material dispensing gun, means to reciprocate said coating gun on said machine in spaced relation to said article, means on said gun to dispense coating material onto said article, said means to reciprocate said gun comprising a carriage reciprocably carried on a straight linear track on said machine, a rod support is attached to said machine said rod support extends generally parallel to said track, line means to supply actuating medium to said gun is provided, a line means being supported in helical coils on said rod support, and resilient rod means to hold said coils in helical relation on said rod means and to allow said coils to elongate when said carriage moves to one side of said machine and allowing said coils to retract when said carriage moves toward the other side of said machine. 2. A machine for painting articles of manufacture comprising a stencil, a track supported in spaced relation to said stencil, a carriage on said track, means to move said carriage along said track,

paint dispensing means on said carriage,

means to swing said paint dispensing means in arcir= cular path as said carriage moves on said track,

a rod is supported adjacent said track, a

said rod being disposed generally parallel to said track,

fiuid hoses for supplying compressed gas and paint to said dispensing means,

- said hoses being disposed in helical coils said rod passing through said helical coils,

said helical form being adapted to expand and contract in axial dimension as said carriage reciprocates.

3. The machine recited in claim 2 wherein said hoses comprise air containing hoses and paint containing hoses.

4. The machine recited in claim 3 wherein said paint dispensing means comprises a chamber defined on top by said stencil.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS.

2,699,792 1/1955 Fisher 239186 X 2,720,217 10/1955 Vossbrinck 137'561 2,728,238 12/1955 Paasche 239-187 2,905,194 9/1959 Smith et al. 239-197 X 3,027,095 3/1962 Paasche 239-187 3,039,431 6/1962 Way et al 118-301 3,107,183 10/1963 Way et a1 118-301 CHARLES A. WILMUTH, Primary Examiner.

R. I. SMITH, Assistant Examiner. 

